Christie says he would testify if called in bridge trial

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie greets a patron at a restaurant in Flowood, Miss., on Tuesday. He's raising money for Republican candidates in Mississippi and Louisiana.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie greets a patron at a restaurant in Flowood, Miss., on Tuesday. He's raising money for Republican candidates in Mississippi and Louisiana. (Rogelio V. Solis, AP)

Emily Wagster PettusOf The Associated Press

FLOWOOD, Miss. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he would have no problem testifying in a trial of former allies who face criminal charges for their alleged roles in politically motivated traffic jams that caused long delays in 2013 over the George Washington Bridge.

Christie, a Republican who's considering a run for president, traveled to Mississippi and Louisiana on Tuesday to raise money for Republicans in those states.

During a stop in a suburb of Mississippi's capital city, he spoke to reporters for the first time since three former allies were charged in connection with the traffic jams near the bridge connecting his state to New York.

"Listen, if they want to subpoena me, that's fine," Christie said outside a restaurant in Flowood. "I've fully cooperated with the investigation right from the beginning, and I'm happy to tell anybody everything I know, which I've done with three separate investigations now that have come to the same conclusion that I said the day after this happened. And so, you know, I don't have any misgivings about that at all."

Christie's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Kelly, and Bill Baroni, the governor's former top appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, pleaded not guilty Monday to charges they purposely caused traffic chaos in the town of Fort Lee, N.J., to punish the town's Democratic mayor for failing to endorse Christie's re-election.

Kelly's attorney vowed Monday to subpoena her former colleagues to prove her innocence — and didn't rule out serving a subpoena on the governor.

Asked about the indictments, Christie said: "It's always sad to see people who have been charged with a crime. Now, we'll let the justice system take its course."

Christie appeared at a fundraising luncheon for the Mississippi Republican Party in Jackson, then went to a locally owned cafe in Flowood, where he and Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant spent about 10 minutes shaking hands and taking pictures with people eating lunch. Christie said he supports Bryant, who's seeking a second term this year.

"Much like Bryant, Christie claims to be a problem-solver who gets things done, but not only has his administration been synonymous with abuse of power, his failed leadership has driven his state's economy and finances into the ditch and left the middle class even further behind," Meruvia said in a news release.

On Friday, Kelly told reporters it was "ludicrous" for the indictment to suggest that she was the only person in Christie's office who knew about the scheme.

Christie has long maintained he knew nothing about the closure plot. He said Tuesday he's not worried that the indictments of former allies might affect his chances at a presidential run.

"The three investigations — an internal investigation, an investigation by a very partisan Democratic Legislature and an independent investigation by the United States attorney — have all come to the same conclusion — that I had nothing to do with this," Christie said. "So, you know, all you can do is tell the truth. And that's what I've done and what I'll continue to do."